Cushioned seat



CUSHIONED SEAT May 1933.

Filed May 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l fltop 16067161525 [jazz/67:5.

L. T. BOWERS GUSHIONED SEAT May 30, 1933.

Filed May 29, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet gwozwtoz Patented May 30, 1933 PATENT.

FFICE LEVERETT 'I. IBOWERS, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF FIFTY-ONE PER CENT TO MAX JEFFE, OF PASADENA, GALIFOB-NIA GUSHIONED SEAT Application filed May 29,

This invention relates to a cushioned seat, particularly designed for outdoor use, as a cushioned top for a garden seat or bench.

One object of the invention is to provide a cushioned seat having a removable cushion adaptedto be locked when in use to a seat base to prevent possible theft thereof, and which may be readily removed by the use of a suitable key when it is desired to detach it from the. seat base for storage or other purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a seat of the character described having a hingedback which normally folds by gravity to a position to overlie and protect the seat cushion, and may be moved back to provide a yielding back rest for the convenience of a person occupying the seat.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of seat base, seat frame and cushion and coacting parts, whereby a desirable seat of the character set forth is produced.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the seat base and cushion, with folding back, embodying my invention, and showing the back as arranged to overlie and protect the cushion.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the seat base from which the cushion has been removed,

and showing approximately one-half of the folding back in normal let-down position, the remainder of the folding back being broken away. p

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts shown in Fig.

2 with the folding back swung to open position andshowing by dotted outline the contour and arrangement of the cushion when applied to the seat base.

Fig. 4 is a vertical front-to-rear section through the seat base and seat cushion, as arranged for use, and with the seat back removed.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the seat frame, partially broken away to show a feature of construction.

1930. Serial in. 457,344.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through a portion of the seat base and showing. in full and dotted lines positions of the seat back.

In carrying my invention into practice, I

provide a cushioned seat structure comprising a sheet metal seat base or holder l'in the form of a pan-like rectangular or oblong rectangular receptacle, consisting of a bottom wall 2, front and rear walls 3 and 4. and end walls 5. This base or holder is preferably of greater depth at its forward portion than at. its rear portion, in order to accommodate a seat cushion'of a certain-con-' tour or pitch, but this is not wholly essential. The rim edges of the walls 3, 4, and 5 of this base or holder are preferably rolled to form a bead 6 enclosing a reinforcin wire 7, whereby such edges of the holder are strengthened and reinforced and exposure of any raw edges liable to injure the person or clothes .of a seat occupant prevented. For the purpose of lightening the weight of the sheet metal base, a portion of the bottom 2 of the basemay'be cut out, as indicated at 8.

r The holder as thus constructed may be mounted upon or fastened to a stationary seat frame or bench in any suitable manner, so as to provide a receptacle for a seat cushion designed to seat one or more persons. The holder base may, for example, be secured to any suitable type of foundation frame, bench or the like, to provide a seat structure having means for receiving a cushio }1 which may be applied and removed at w1 The cushion comprises an open rectangular or oblong rectangular frame 9, of wood or other suitable material, to the top surface of which a cushion proper 10 is secured, which may consist of a suitable padding material 11 in an enclosing casing or jacket 12 having a top surface of suitable material, preferably made of an artificial leather or other similar material having water shedding properties.

The frame 9, which comprises suitably united front and rear bars or rails 9a and 9b and end bars or rails 90, is adapted to seat within the holder base 1 with the cushion 1O projecting outwardly at the top of said holder base, as shown. The construction of the cushion frame and the cushion may be such that the top surface of the cushion slopes downwardly and rearwardly in order to prevent the person occupying the seat from slipping forwardly as well as to adapt the weight of the person to be maintained in contact with the folding back, as hereinafter described, to adapt the latter to serve as a yielding support for the back of the person occupying the seat. At the forward corners of the seat cushion frame are springactuated latches 13 adapted to engage under keepers 14 at the front corners of the holder base 1 for securing the forward portion of the seat cushion to the holder when the seat cushion is applied. The seat cushion frame is formed adjacent to its rear corners with keepers 15 adapted to engage fixed latch pins 16 on the holder base, which pins 16 coact with the latches to hold the seat cushion secured within the holder base.

Preferably the latches 13 are so disposed that when the cushion is disposed within the holder base, the latches are concealed and are inaccessible for direct manipulation, and can only be released by proper key actuated means. To this end there isapplied to the rear bar of the frame 9 a bracket member 17 which slidably supports a latch releasing stem, the forward end of which is coupled by a V-shaped wire or other flexible connection 19 with the two latch members 13 and the rear end of which is formed with an eye or other suitable engaging member whereby said stem may be engaged by an inserted key to draw upon the stem and connection 19 and thereby retract the latches 13 so as to permit the cushion to be removed. In inserting the cushion, it will be understood that it is disposed with its rear edge downwardly within the holder base so as to engage the keepers 15 with the pins or lugs 16, after which the cushion is swung clownwardly and forwardly on the pins as pivotal supports until its front portion is seated within the holder base and the latches are in position to snap under the keepers 14; to effect the locking of the seat cushion within the seat base. The eye 20 of the stem 18 is arranged in line with an opening 21 in the rear bar of the frame 9 which, when the seat cushion is introduced into the seat holder of base, registers with an opening 22 in the wall 4 of the seat holder, through which openings a key of properconstruction and form to be engaged with the eye 20 of the stem 18 may be inserted to effect a proper sliding motion of said stem to retract latches 13 and permit the seat cushion to be removed. The part 20 of the stem 18 to be engaged by the key and the form and arrangement of the key holesor passages, as well as the type and shape of the key (not shown) may be varied, so as to ensure safety against the unlocking and removal of the seat cushion by an unauthorized person.

Riveted to the upper surface of said bottom of the seat base are angle brackets 24, having foot portions 24a reinforcing the same and the back wall a and which carry hinge members 25 with which are pivotally connected hinge members 26 on a folding or opening movement of the seat back in which it is disposed in supporting position, as shown in Fig. 3. Adjacent portions of the back 27 are adapted for engagement with springs 32 fastened to the wall 4 and which yieldingly cushion the seat back in its supporting position and act normally to urge said seat back forward to a folded position in which the seat back rests upon and overlies the seat cushion, as shown in Fig.2

1, to keep the seat back disposed in an out of the way position and to adapt it to cover and protect to -a large extent the cushion against the action of the elements. The seat back is adapted to be pushed upwardly and rearwardly to expose the seat cushion for use and to be held in its back rest position shown in Fig. 3 against the tension of the springs, which, as soon as the back pressure of the occupant of the seat is removed from the seat back, will force said seat back downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1.

From the foregoing description, the construction and mode of operation of my im-.

proved seat with removable cushion and folding seat back will be readily understood, and it will be seen that the invention provides a construction ofseat base which may be mounted upon any suitable type of underlying support, such as legs, a frame, or a bench,'to provide a receptacle for a cushion serving as a seat for one or more persons and that this seat is normally locked against possibility of theft or displacement by any other'than. an authorized person or a person possessing the proper type of releasing key. The seat construction described is one well adapted for the use of garden or other outdoor seats, or seats in parks or amphitheatres in which removable cushions are provided for use, which may be locked to the seat bases against possibility of theft while inuse, and which may be removed by an authorized person and transported to a house or other building for storage when their use is not required. If the seat with cushion applied is left unoccupied or vacant for any period of time protection to the cushion will be afforded by the automatically folding seat back which will drop down to a position to overlie and cover the cushion and give the same a substantial measure of protection. Other advantages will be evident to those versed in the art from the foregoing description. 7

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In a cushioned seat construction, a V

chambered seat base, stationary locking means at the rear of thebase, a frame adapted to be fitted in said base and carrying a seat cushion, said frame having coacting stationary locking means at its rear to engage said locking means on the base, stationary locking means at the front of the base, latch bolts on the frame to engage the last-named locking means on theovbase, and a releasing member for simultaneously releasing said latch bolts.

2. In a cushioned seat construction, a chambered seat base, stationary locking means at the rear of the base, a frame adapted to be fitted in said base and carrying a seat cushion, said frame having coacting stationary locking means at its rear to engage said locking members on the base, sta- 'tionary locking means at the front of the base, latch bolts on the frame to engage the last-named locking means on the base, and a releasing member for simultaneously releasing said latch bolts, the base and frame having registering openings to admit a key for operating said releasing member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEVERETT T. BOWERS. 

